First Day of School Speech and Ice BreakerSpeech: “Good morning boys and girls! My name is Miss. Martin, and I am so thrilled to have each and every one of you in my class! First grade is an exciting year! We are going to learn a lot this year, and have a lot of fun. A little bit about me… I’m engaged to a nice man named Chris, I love to shop, eating is my favorite pastime, and I am a huge fan of Georgia Tech football. I went to North Georgia College & State University in Dahlonega, Georgia, and I loved it! My favorite season is Fall and my favorite holiday is Christmas. Does anybody have any questions about me?”
Icebreaker: “I’m first going to read you the book, “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar”. Raise your hand if you’ve read this story before. Good! After I read this book, we’re going to play a game to get to know everyone’s names better.” ~Read “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar”. Okay boys and girls, I’m going to start the game and we are going to pass it off to each other. “Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?” “Chris stole the cookies from the cookie jar!” “Who me?” “Yes you!” “It couldn’t be!” “Then who?” “Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?” “Heather stole the cookies from the cookie jar!” “Who me?” “Yes you!” “It couldn’t be!” Then who?” Continue until everyone has gotten a chance to have a turn.
First Day of School Schedule
7:50 am- Students arrive in classroom, and I show them where to put their book-bags and where they sit.
7:50-8:15 am- Students complete morning work (ABC coloring sheets) while I take roll and lunch count.
8:15 am- Assign the students their cubbies where they can keep their pencil boxes, jackets, lunch boxes, etc.
8:30 am- Read the book “First Day Jitters”.
8:40 am- Read the book “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar” and sing the rhyme that goes with the story in order to break the ice & allow students to learn each other’s names.
9:00 am- Give the students a school tour for those of them that might be new or don’t remember from Kindergarten.
9:20 am- Ask students what they think should be our class rules, then narrow them down to four rules total.
9:45 am- Introduce the students to the “centers” (Ex. Computer, Puzzle, Pocket Chart, Poetry, Art, Science, etc.)
11:45 am- Talk to students about how they felt this morning & write down the words on chart paper (Ex. Scared, excited, nervous, etc.)
12:05 pm- Lunch
12:35 pm- Writing (Have a worksheet that has room for illustration and a line that says “I felt_ on my first day of 1st grade”. Use the emotions written earlier on chart paper for the students to fill in their blanks & have them illustrate themselves on the 1st day of school in the given area)
1:10 pm- Read another book about the 1st day of school.
1:20 pm- Have students go to desks & pass out behavior form. Explain that they will keep a behavior form in their binders & everyday at the end of the day they will write how many cards they had to pull. They will then have their parents sign the behavior form and return it to school the next day.
1:45 pm- Recess
2:15 pm- Pack up book-bags & organize desk area.
2:25 pm- Parent pickup and bus dismissal.
Getting off to a great start!
-Dress for Success
You only have one chance for a great first impression.
What will you wear?
Look appropriate for Open House & the first day of school- parents will be seeing you for the first time.
Studies have shown that teachers dressed more professionally have less behavior problems. Teachers need to set the professional and respectful environment tone.
-Letter to Parents
Tell them...
Who you are
About your preparation and experience
Excitement about the year
What the child needs to bring to school
What their child will be learning this year
How to contact you
Your desire to have them involved in their child's education (Make sure to always have something for parents to do if they come and volunteer.)
In letter, describe your experience in placements (Ex. I spent 6 weeks in a 1st grade inclusion class.)
List all workshops & trainings you've attended
Build yourself up!
-7 Questions Students Have on the 1st Day
Am I in the right room? (Have a roster on the side of the door, and greet each student when they walk in. Make a personal connection by placing a hand on your students' shoulders or giving them a high five or hand shake. It is also a good idea to have your door decorated with each student's name on it.)
Where am I supposed to sit? (Have their names on the desks)
Who is my teacher as a person? (Include information in 1st day speech)
What are the rules in this class?
Will I be treated as a human being? (Smile at children, have eye contact, use friendly body language, etc.)
What will we be doing this year?
How will I be graded?
-Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
The classroom
Student work (At least the 1st week's work)
Yourself
Your 1st words are extremely important!
Smile
Exude care
Set positive expectation
Address the 7 questions students always have.
-1st Day
Celebrate the 1st day!
Greet students at the door with a handshake or touch
Have assigned seats
Have something on their desks for them to do while other students enter the room
Have all seats facing the front initially
Plan a really fun day that will make them want to come back to school!
Have the class organized and and the day fully planned
-Students like to...
Talk about themselves
Hands-on activities
Puzzles
Coloring (Give them blank sheets of paper or a canvas so they'll feel more like a real artist, and don't give them notebook paper. Also send home a note to see if parents will send in an old t-shirt that the child can use as a smock. Have a variety of art supplies that children can choose from.)
Explore (Scavenger hunt)
Computer
Reading stories
Pattern blocks
Cards
Dancing
Outside
Singing
Side note: Go ahead and start collecting magazines, happy meal toys, etc. for your future students.
-To be effective you should...
Look at the students with a firm but friendly smile.
Use a firm but soft tone in your voice.
Speak slowly and communicate your expectations.
Ex. "When you sit down you will find an activity on your desk. I think you will enjoy doing this activity. Please begin working on it right away. Thank you."
-Rules & Procedures
Plan ahead of time what you want your rules to include.
Students can have input in deciding positive and negative consequences.
Follow through with consequences on the very first infraction.
Have a specific way for students to line up for emergencies so that each student can check to see that the right person is in front and in back of him.
Have a procedure for students to indicate each need rather than raising their hands to receive verbal permission from you.
Icebreaker: “I’m first going to read you the book, “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar”. Raise your hand if you’ve read this story before. Good! After I read this book, we’re going to play a game to get to know everyone’s names better.” ~Read “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar”. Okay boys and girls, I’m going to start the game and we are going to pass it off to each other. “Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?” “Chris stole the cookies from the cookie jar!” “Who me?” “Yes you!” “It couldn’t be!” “Then who?” “Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?” “Heather stole the cookies from the cookie jar!” “Who me?” “Yes you!” “It couldn’t be!” Then who?” Continue until everyone has gotten a chance to have a turn.
First Day of School Schedule7:50 am- Students arrive in classroom, and I show them where to put their book-bags and where they sit.
7:50-8:15 am- Students complete morning work (ABC coloring sheets) while I take roll and lunch count.
8:15 am- Assign the students their cubbies where they can keep their pencil boxes, jackets, lunch boxes, etc.
8:30 am- Read the book “First Day Jitters”.
8:40 am- Read the book “Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar” and sing the rhyme that goes with the story in order to break the ice & allow students to learn each other’s names.
9:00 am- Give the students a school tour for those of them that might be new or don’t remember from Kindergarten.
9:20 am- Ask students what they think should be our class rules, then narrow them down to four rules total.
9:45 am- Introduce the students to the “centers” (Ex. Computer, Puzzle, Pocket Chart, Poetry, Art, Science, etc.)
10:00 am- Centers
10:45 am- Activities (Ex. P.E., Music, Computer, etc.)
11:45 am- Talk to students about how they felt this morning & write down the words on chart paper (Ex. Scared, excited, nervous, etc.)
12:05 pm- Lunch
12:35 pm- Writing (Have a worksheet that has room for illustration and a line that says “I felt_ on my first day of 1st grade”. Use the emotions written earlier on chart paper for the students to fill in their blanks & have them illustrate themselves on the 1st day of school in the given area)
1:10 pm- Read another book about the 1st day of school.
1:20 pm- Have students go to desks & pass out behavior form. Explain that they will keep a behavior form in their binders & everyday at the end of the day they will write how many cards they had to pull. They will then have their parents sign the behavior form and return it to school the next day.
1:45 pm- Recess
2:15 pm- Pack up book-bags & organize desk area.
2:25 pm- Parent pickup and bus dismissal.
Getting off to a great start!
-Dress for Success
You only have one chance for a great first impression.
What will you wear?
Look appropriate for Open House & the first day of school- parents will be seeing you for the first time.
Studies have shown that teachers dressed more professionally have less behavior problems. Teachers need to set the professional and respectful environment tone.
-Letter to Parents
-7 Questions Students Have on the 1st Day
Am I in the right room? (Have a roster on the side of the door, and greet each student when they walk in. Make a personal connection by placing a hand on your students' shoulders or giving them a high five or hand shake. It is also a good idea to have your door decorated with each student's name on it.)
Where am I supposed to sit? (Have their names on the desks)
Who is my teacher as a person? (Include information in 1st day speech)
What are the rules in this class?
Will I be treated as a human being? (Smile at children, have eye contact, use friendly body language, etc.)
What will we be doing this year?
How will I be graded?
-Prepare, Prepare, Prepare
The classroom
Student work (At least the 1st week's work)
Yourself
Your 1st words are extremely important!
Smile
Exude care
Set positive expectation
Address the 7 questions students always have.
-1st Day
Celebrate the 1st day!
Greet students at the door with a handshake or touch
Have assigned seats
Have something on their desks for them to do while other students enter the room
Have all seats facing the front initially
Plan a really fun day that will make them want to come back to school!
Have the class organized and and the day fully planned
-Students like to...
Talk about themselves
Hands-on activities
Puzzles
Coloring (Give them blank sheets of paper or a canvas so they'll feel more like a real artist, and don't give them notebook paper. Also send home a note to see if parents will send in an old t-shirt that the child can use as a smock. Have a variety of art supplies that children can choose from.)
Explore (Scavenger hunt)
Computer
Reading stories
Pattern blocks
Cards
Dancing
Outside
Singing
Side note: Go ahead and start collecting magazines, happy meal toys, etc. for your future students.
-To be effective you should...
Look at the students with a firm but friendly smile.
Use a firm but soft tone in your voice.
Speak slowly and communicate your expectations.
Ex. "When you sit down you will find an activity on your desk. I think you will enjoy doing this activity. Please begin working on it right away. Thank you."
-Rules & Procedures
Plan ahead of time what you want your rules to include.
Students can have input in deciding positive and negative consequences.
Follow through with consequences on the very first infraction.
Have a specific way for students to line up for emergencies so that each student can check to see that the right person is in front and in back of him.
Have a procedure for students to indicate each need rather than raising their hands to receive verbal permission from you.